Yes on Measure J

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As it is, property owners in Los Angeles pay $17 for every $100,000 of assessed value to the community colleges. If approved, this measure would not alter that, though it would extend the repayment of the district's debt an additional 10 years, so taxes that would otherwise have expired would remain with us for a decade longer. Fortunately, the district has managed its debt responsibly in recent years, and there is no reason to think that will change.

The debate about this sensible measure has been sidetracked by one of its proposed projects, the construction of classrooms at the Southwest Museum, currently undergoing a much-delayed renovation. Museum partisans, who are fighting to see it reopen, have alleged that supporting Measure J would transform the museum into a campus. That's not true. The district is only setting aside funds should space become available. If that happens, classrooms would supplement the museum, not replace it, and building them would represent an entirely legitimate use of this small portion of the bond proceeds. That neighborhood disagreementshould not be an excuse to scuttle a measure so important to the entire Los Angeles area.

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